Page 20 of Prince of Blaze and Embers (Emberveil Empire #1)

R osa and Cade exchanged quick words; she whispered into his ear, and he agreed with a series of nods. He gave me a quick glance before he left the room, enough to wet my need for him, but far from enough to quench my thirst. He left like he entered; determined and quick.

Rosa remained, standing before me, gazing at me up and down, scanning my body coldly, yet with a raised eyebrow and the slightest hint of a smile. I pulled the blanket up from the floor and covered myself, sitting on the bed as it crumpled on my lap.

“You’re lucky to be alive,” the old woman scolded me.

“I know…” The images of the haunting face of the ogre burned vividly in my mind.

The terrifying hunter inside glimmered in its wretched, beady eyes.

It was hellbent on murdering me, squashing me like an insect under its huge weight and muscle.

The man Cade called Rone wasn’t going to leave the forest without me as his prisoner.

He’d have rather killed me than left me in defeat.

But I killed them.

I killed them both, and even though I had to do it, the feeling still left me feeling like a monster myself.

I’d never killed anyone, or anything really.

Even when I saw one of the squeaky, nasty things with the tails scurry across the room, I’d squeal myself and run as fast as my legs could carry me.

That man and his ogre were dead there because I used magic again.

And even though my brain told me I did the right thing, my soul felt scarred—deeply scarred—and I knew with all my heart I’d never be the same.

“You must do as the prince says.” Rosa approached me and lifted my legs onto the bed. “And you need rest, dear. I’ll take care of everything. You just take care of yourself…”

I wanted to deny my fatigue, but it consumed me like a huge sea wave, crashing down onto me with cool, calming forgiveness. The prince’s taste still on my lips, fighting through my brain fog, I said, “Can you get Bella for me, please, Rosa?”

“You really must rest.” She tucked the thick, warm blanket over my shoulders.

“Please. I’ll sleep after, I promise.”

Her thoughts showed in her gaze as it darted around the room. “Very well.”

Rosa left, leaving the door open an inch.

Moments later, Bella came in, closing the door behind her. Her face was stricken with worry. I could tell by her bloodshot eyes, puffiness under them, and her flat mouth choking back tears.

“Ash…” she managed to say as she ran to me. She scooped me up to a sitting position as we embraced. “You’re alive! I was so worried! Why did you go out there? What were you thinking?”

“I—I’ll tell you everything.” Which I did. I told her about Cornelius, who may have been in the room. I told her about Rone and the ogre, and my magic, and Cade and Hunter killing the monsters, saving my life.

She sat on the bed as I lay back, recanting the whole ordeal. A gamut of emotions showed on her face, with reactions of shock, bewilderment, worry, and triumph. But when I finished telling her everything, she instantly glowered at me.

I hadn’t gotten to the prince, but she knew I’d left out the real conclusion to the story. “What?”

“Don’t what me. I saw the expression he tried to hide when he left the room with you. And I see the same fucking expression on your face. Out with it!”

I sat up and grasped her sleeves. “I don’t know what happened. But my god, Bella… I think I’m falling for him.”

“What happened?” Bella pronounced the two words slowly, forcing me to spill our secret.

“He… he kissed me. He kissed me so intensely, I thought I was going to explode.”

“You kissed?” Bella’s eyes shot wide, and a huge grin grew on her face. “I knew something happened!”

“By Odiun, Bella. It was the hottest fucking thing I’ve ever felt. Nothing has even come close. My heart is so all over the place, I don’t even know what to think.”

“Well, slow down.” She raised her palms up toward me.

“He’s still the Blaze Prince. You know, the most highly praised killer in all of Allovan.

And, oh yeah, he’s a fucking prince. But…

” She raised a sly eyebrow and patted me on my thigh.

“You’re one lucky girl. He’s as handsome as the devil.

And you’re getting feelings for him. I can tell by your voice. ”

“I—I don’t know what to think. He bought me. I’m his property. He wouldn’t be the first slave master to kiss his property. But… god, I would’ve done anything he wanted me to. If only he would’ve tried.”

“I bet,” Bella laughed. “I’m sure you would’ve.”

I sighed, lying back into the soft pillow with a thud.

“But you’re right. I’m a slave, and he’s a prince.

Shit, he’s taking me to Emberveil, or at least he was going to.

I don’t know why I’m getting my hopes up, or even thinking about what could happen.

I’ve got bigger issues than thinking about him naked.

That man on the ogre was going to take me to the Blaze Queen.

He was going to take me to Cade’s stepmother. ”

“Stepmother? She’s his stepmother? I thought she was his mother?”

“Me too. And I don’t think he wants to take me to her now, for some reason. I think… Oh god, what am I about to say? I’m such a fool…”

“What?” Bella’s expression pressed it from me forcefully as she dug her fingernails into my thigh.

“He said he liked me from the first moment he saw me…”

“Shut it!” Her fist slammed into my leg.

“Ow!”

“He didn’t say that…”

“He did. I promise.”

Bella sat up straight with a sly, proud smirk. “You bitch. You got the Blaze Prince to like you, and now you got to kiss him.”

“Bella… it was amazing. Absolutely amazing…”

That evening was so much less dramatic. It was pleasant, but in the most awkward kind of—we just acted like everything was normal, even though it was the complete opposite—way.

We ate a delicious dinner from Rosa, but it was just Bella and me.

We didn’t hear or see anything of Cade or Hunter.

The house was eerily quiet. We only heard the winds howl from the open windows as the fire burned in the hearth.

Rosa worked with her back to us, laying platters before us, refusing to answer questions.

She seemed to make her point clear enough not to leave the house again.

Bella and I talked about the prince in whispers.

Where was he? What were they doing? Our imaginations ran rampant. We didn’t hear the roars of the dragons, so we assumed they were out flying on them: scouring for something, fighting off the Stormscales, but most likely they were figuring out what to do with me, we both agreed.

But all I could think about was him. I wanted more than anything to be alone with him. I wanted to taste him, to dig my fingers into his back, pulling him in impossibly close. I wanted his strong arms and hands to explore every part of me as we kissed deeply again.

I even let Bella braid my hair, putting it up, with two braids falling down the sides of my face.

I wanted him to notice me. I wanted him to notice me like no other man seemed to.

I never felt beautiful like that. I’d never been told someone liked me how he told me he did.

I wanted him to tell me again so it strengthened the memory.

No matter what happened, I didn’t want to forget the way he spoke to me before he wrapped me in his arms.

A sharp pinch on my elbow sparked pain all the way up my arm and into my brain.

Rosa was right beside me, pulling her hand away from my arm.

“You in there?” Her tone was a hint of annoyance. “If you’re all done, I’ll clean up. Would you like some port wine for dessert? Some more fruit?”

“Um, no. I’m fine, thanks.” My hands clapped onto my happy stomach. “You’ve treated me enough, thank you.”

She lifted our plates and carried them away.

Bella yawned, with her long arms held high over her head. “Should we go to sleep? Or are you going to stay awake? Hoping your prince is going to come walking in the door, ready to carry you in there?”

I wanted to tell her to shut up, but absolutely I wished that, and she knew it.

“How long have we been friends?” she asked.

“Ever since Garris bought me when I was four.” I assumed it was true. No real reason for him to lie to me. First the orphanage, then sold off to work.

“I know you better than anyone,” Bella smiled, swishing her wine in the glass next to her face. “We’re family. You’re all I’ve got. I can see you’re falling for him, but don’t fall too hard. He’s a prince. And we are… well…”

“Orphan slaves.” I finished her thought. “I know. I know.”

“They say they found you on the beach as a newborn,” Bella said after taking a sip of the rosy red wine. “You’re quite an anomaly. Lucky to be alive. Blessed with magic. Lucky to have a prince after you.”

“I suppose. I don’t feel lucky.”

“My parents sold me off. At least you don’t have that weighing over you. Wondering why for your whole life. Like you did something wrong when you were so young you can’t even remember it. It’s torture. The wondering. The worrying. The guilt. At least you don’t have parents that did that.”

My hand went to hers, falling onto her hand on the table.

“There’s nothing wrong with you. You didn’t do anything wrong. You’re the most perfect thing in the whole world.”

“Thanks, Ash.”

“I’m a Mist.” The sigh rolled from my throat without thought. I felt my chin quiver, but I held it firm. “Abandoned by the world in every way.”

“Mists are a lot more common nowadays. I guess that’s good and bad. More orphans from the war. Babies found with no hint of who their parents were.”

“I wish I could do something about it.” I took my hand back, and shoved both hands between my legs, hunching over.

“I hate feeling helpless. There are so many other kids out there like I was—confused, utterly lost, hopeless. I wish more than anything that I could save them all from this world. I wish I could take a dragon and swoop into every village in every corner of this awful world and take them, buy them, whatever it took to get them out of there and free them.”

“That’s a wonderful thought.” Bella’s eyes wetted with tears.

But she never said anything more than that.

Because I knew it was just a fairy tale dream.

And I was a slave still. Slaves don’t go around being dragon riders and saving people.

I had to fight to survive every day. That was my life.

Even in that house in those enchanted woods, I knew that was all there was.

Magic, though. My magic was real. And with that, there was hope.

It may have been my curse, but I was determined to figure it out, master it the best I could.